


Eagle Tea

by Valgus



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Drinking, Immortality, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-27
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-06 12:09:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 19,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4221240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valgus/pseuds/Valgus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only Arthur Kirkland would accidentally brought home Alfred Jones, a vampire who had been in love with the 'previous' Arthur one night. </p><p>It started with Arthur unable to stand the bad-touch trio on a club and another club-goer who puked on his Oxford, but Arthur might or might not had foreseen a future with a really aged, noisy American.</p><p>After all, having a vampire lover in one's life couldn't be as easy as one imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. On His Oxford

**Author's Note:**

> This work is not rated and I chose not to use archive warning. Read at your own risk.

The club was terrible that night.

To be quite honest, the club was always terrible for a certain Arthur Kirkland. He missed good old English pub and despised these silly loud clubs with terrible beers. But alas, he now lived in this land of freedom and could only accept such fact. 

His university life wasn’t bad, if only he had friend more like himself. Too bad he was constantly surrounded with some European idiots; a very loud German by the name of Gilbert Beilschmidt was on his 700th shot while a certain Spaniard called Antonio Fernandez Carriedo who sat next to him was currently trying to make out with a basket of tomato. Next to Arthur was a French by the name of Francis Bonnefoy who was flirting with the 48th girl he met that night.

Arthur drank very slowly as he leered to his terrible, piss-drunk friends. He understood that he didn’t handle his liquor very well, so he sipped a little each time and wondered whether he would personally offend anyone if he only drink Coke in such place.

The loud music was blaring into his ears, mixed with laughter, chatter, and the sound of feet on the dance floor. Everything was dimly lit and Arthur felt dizzy, which was strange. Maybe he did read too many books lately, like Gilbert had criticised. But what does the foolish albino knew about book? It was as if all his ability to appreciate book and the guidance it gave was sucked by his younger brother, the almost-perfect Ludwig.

Arthur didn’t really want to think about book or Ludwig right now—no, obviously not because there was always a very noisy Italian with him. He left his chair, ignored completely by the three idiots who was here “for his sake”, or so he thought, and walked to the bathroom.

The bathroom was no better place to feel dizzy, but Arthur took care of his business and washed his hand. When he winced on the water’s coldness against his fingers, a loud bang informed him that someone had entered the lavatory. Arthur threw a glance. A very drunk man laughed his way into a stall and fell before he even touched his ragged jeans.

The English man sighed, hoping someone would enter the bathroom soon so they could take care of this highly intoxicated male. But no one entered the bathroom. So Arthur, out of his gentleman sense, walked to the drunk youth and tugged his shoulder slowly.

“Oi,” he grumbled to a sleeping face under strands of wheat-coloured blond hair.

The drunk male snored very loudly and Arthur groaned. He didn’t really want to take care of another annoying drunkard when he already had three of them waiting by the bar. Arthur stepped back and the sleeping male fell against him, snoring and already started drooling.

Clicking his tongue, Arthur wondered if he could ask some of this terrible club’s staff to take care of this drunk blond. His contemplation was disturbed by the sound of choking and the undesirable smell of puke.

The sleeping-drunk guy had let out his stomach’s fill into Arthur’s oxford.

“Oh, for God’s sake!” Arthur groaned and wanted nothing more than smack this stranger on the head. But as he lifted the puke-smelling youngster into his shoulder, he knew he was glad that he had reason to leave.

Francis was sober enough to respond to Arthur a moment later. Yes, Arthur should go home now that his shoe was dirty. No, he didn’t need to worry about Antonio and Gilbert because Francis would take care of them, even if that means he had to let go of the ladies.

Arthur had no idea why Francis enjoyed flirting with the ladies when he was just as straight as a rainbow, but the Englishman didn’t judge his friend’s lifestyle. Groaning and panting because the bastard on his shoulder was heavy, Arthur knew he didn’t really have a choice but to bring this snoring male home with him until he could tell Arthur his address.

*)*

Arthur also had no idea whether he would ever be able to clean his shoes, but at least he had returned to quite and peace of his flat. On Saturday night, everyone on his building went out. In a small apartment just right outside the metropolitan city, where most of the occupants were overseas student who commute to city everyday, Arthur knew he should spend more Saturday night in his room.

He had change his clothes to something more sleep-wise and also attempted to clean drool from the stranger’s face. His guest didn’t seem to mind sleeping in Arthur’s rather old sofa. He looked like a little child as he slept, Arthur thought as he towered over him.

He looked like he was having a beautiful dream.

Arthur thought of a cup of tea and some pages of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ before bed. He wondered whether he would make chamomile or ginger tea when he felt a tug on his training pants.

His already-drooling again guest was holding on to a pinch of his pants and smiling stupidly with his mouth open.

“Arthur…” he called.

Arthur froze.

He was sure that he hadn’t introduce himself to this mysterious person. Even if Arthur did that back in the club, a person so drunk like him would had no ability to remember his name. Arthur gently tug those fingers away from his pants and draped a large blanket over the sleeping mess on his sofa before leaving.

*)*

Alfred F. Jones hadn’t sleep for three years now.

Now, now, you might think that it was impossible to not sleep for three years, but after living for more than 300 years, three years didn’t really feel like a long time.

His life was what you would want to call as ‘unable to live, unwilling to die’, but Alfred Jones enjoyed his days as a creature who was hated by the sunlight but outlived so many moons. 

Killing yourself by drowning your body in alcohol might be easy for human, but Alfred hadn’t been able to die for a very long time. He went inside to that club with death wish and emerged from it with a his first sleep since 2012 and a very beautiful dream.

A dream of return to his lover’s embrace.

A dream of seeing a certain Englishman with bushy eyebrows and smell of tea again after more than 200 years.

*)*

When Arthur woke up at 2 am to use the loo, he heard his guest talking in his sleep. The wheat-blond still called his name. Arthur chose to think that he might had a brother who also named Arthur.

Checking the stranger to make sure he hadn’t puke more and still lied to his side instead of his back, Arthur found that his guest sleep-talking only grow louder as Arthur inched closer.

“Arthur… you finally come… you stupid eyebrows.”

Arthur tried very hard to think that this Arthur that his guest knew also had rather distinctive eyebrows.

“I missed you so much—yeah, you and even your stupid tea…”

Arthur left the room with stomping steps.

*)*

The next morning, Arthur was awoken by a very loud scream from his living room. With one shoulder peeking from under his sleeping shirt, Arthur ran to find his guest hiding behind the sofa he slept on.

Morning sun had raised and bathed Arthur’s flat with light. Assuming that his guest was hurt by the sunlight because of his headache, he closed the curtain and walked to get a glass of water and something to gulp down to reduce the hangover.

His guest slowly emerged from behind the sofa. His wheat-blond hair was juggling messily as he stood up, though Arthur could pinpoint that there was a certain strand that stood up like it had been licked by a cow. His eyes were blue—Arthur didn’t get to see it last night, but he thought it was a very nice shade of blue. Still with streak of drool drying on his chin, his guest looked at him like Antonio looked at tomato.

“Could you please not wailing like that again in the morning?” Arthur grumbled as he filled a clean glass with water from the tap.

His guest had followed him to the kitchen, “Yes! Sorry—yes.” He then pointed to Arthur like a little kid, “Arthur!”

Arthur handed the guest the glass of water, “Yes, yes, that’s my name—now I do wonder how do you know that, considering I remember very clearly I haven’t introduce myself to you last night—“

“I always know you!” the guest took the glass but putting it aside on the counter.

“No, you don’t,” Arthur sighed and started to fill kettle for his morning tea. 

“Well, not you… you,” he gestured wildly to Arthur’s direction. “More like… I know exactly someone like you. Knew. Not know. But you are practically his twin, if only—“

Arthur cut, “Do you mistake me with someone?”

“Possibly,” his guest admitted, his blue eyes sparkled brightly. “But he’s been dead for a long time—since 1800, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Yeah, of course,” Arthur chuckled sarcastically as he took his jar of peppermint tea blend from a top shelf. “And how old are you again? 20? 21? Don’t tell me you’re underage since you were in that club tonight…”

His guest shook his head and hugged Arthur from behind and Arthur froze. He was incredibly cold. His skin was like ice against him and Arthur yelped before pushing him away.

“What?” Arthur yelled, more to himself, out of confusion.

“Oh come on, you haven’t pick it up?” his guest grinned. “Alright, then, 21st century Arthur, my name is Alfred Jones and I have loved you since 1750s.” He stepped forward and smiled, “As a matter of fact, yes, I am what would you call ‘vampire’ and I’d like a cup of coffee with several drops of your blood if that’s okay with you. Thanks.”

Upon hearing all this, Arthur was certain that he was still drunk or sleeping.

Perhaps both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's very early in the morning and I haven't sleep. I probably can't until I write this down. There's more to go, yo.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> (Sorry for lame title.)


	2. Octopus Garden in the Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur got to know his vampire guest a little better - a little too good according to Francis' misguided understanding.

“Can I kiss you, Arthur?”

“Absolutely not!”

Arthur was cooking bacon when Alfred did another attempt to hug him from behind. The ex-Londoner dodged on time and his headache worsened—worse than any hangover he ever had. He wondered whether vampire could suck life out of you by standing close to you, but the thought was stopped by a cold palm suddenly landed on his hips.

“Alfred! Cut it out!” Arthur yelped and slapped Alfred’s hand.

His guest didn’t even blink, so Arthur hit him in the head with iron spatula.

“Ow!” Alfred was the one who yelped now. He touched the part of his head that Arthur just hit. Arthur pouted and Alfred smiled from ear to ear. “I love you,” Alfred said and Arthur it was the strangest thing that ever happened to him; to hit someone head and having them saying they love you in return.

“You’re seriously confused,” Arthur returned to his pan. His bacon only needed a little more heat until it reached the perfect crispiness, he thought happily. But another set of palms landed on his hips and this time, Alfred Jones the vampire didn’t stop this time.

Arthur’s spatula landed a meter away from his right hand, that was now on the floor, pinned on the wrist by Alfred’s cold hand. His rather rude guest was on top of him and Arthur gulped very loudly as he stared on Alfred Jones.

Alfred’s blue eyes were slightly lit in the dimness of the kitchen and his hair was a mess in the most artistic way possible; how could Arthur miss how handsome Alfred looked last night?

And then the way Alfred looked at Arthur—oh dear God, that was something that Arthur’s another European friend Elizaveta would describe as “a gaze that can make you pregnant”, even though Arthur knew he would never be able to be impregnated by this cold, beautiful vampire.

Not that he minded having Alfred Jones’ child—wait _what_?

“Alfred,” Arthur grunted, feeling his cheeks hotter than ever. “My bacon—“ his mouth was left hanging open. He had to do something, say something to get out of this very perverted position. But with his legs under Alfred’s buttocks, how could Arthur think clearly?

Alfred only smiled and he lowered his head towards Arthur. Arthur yelped and gasped and then his front door was opened very loudly, followed by someone who sang, “Arthur, _mon ami_ , I was wondering if you have extra wine—“

Francis appeared on the kitchen door, wearing the most ridiculous pyjama for men one could ever think about (silk and pink salmon-coloured with some frills and laces), and raised his eyebrows on the sight he found on kitchen floor.

“Oh, _pardon_ ,” the Frenchman grinned so slyly that Arthur never wanted anything more than grabbing his iron spatula and also smack Francis in the head. “I will return for the wine after you two finished your... naughty business.”

Before Arthur could even blink, Francis Bonnefoy already left his flat. The sound of the front door he closed echoed throughout Arthur's quiet flat.

Never in Arthur’s life he wanted Francis’ presence so bad to stop whatever Alfred was about to do to him.

Alfred exhaled, peeling his sight from kitchen door and return to Arthur’s face, “Well, as your French friend said, we should go back to our business—“

Arthur pushed Alfred’s face away with his palm, struggling as hard as possible as he did, “Get off me, you mad git! We are _not_ having any business in the kitchen floor—“

Alfred’s smile bloomed, “I see. The bedroom, then?”

“No!” Arthur practically screamed.

Alfred looked like a kicked puppy and Arthur couldn’t help but to feel a pang of guilt. However, all thought about naughty business or horny vampire hovering over him disappeared when Arthur heard sizzle and smelled burned bacon.

“Oh God, my bacon!” he scrambled and stood up and Alfred let Arthur go this time.

*)*

Arthur’s bacon was a little rubbery and burnt, so he cut the blackened parts and tossed it carefully on one side of his plate. In front of him, Alfred sipped the thickest, darkest coffee Arthur ever made and smiling all the time.

His guest seemed to enjoy his morning so far.

Arthur felt like he should say something, but he didn’t really know what to say, so he stood up and put on some record, something to set a better mood on his morning.

The Beatles sang from the vintage record player.

“‘Octopus Garden’?” Alfred chuckled. 

Arthur had seen how his guest was always full of smile and seemed generally happy—possibly the happiest old person Arthur had ever seen in his life. But alas, Alfred wasn’t simply ‘an old person’, though he was older than any human ever lived. Maybe if Arthur’s grandparents (lived in Kensington and struggling in communicating with him through ‘Inter Web’) still had the body of their youth, they might be as happy as Alfred was.

Arthur watched Alfred hummed to ‘Octopus Garden’ and the Englishman couldn’t help but to smile a little.

Alfred saw his smile and he stared at Arthur. His blue eyes squinted a little and he did another very warm, gentle gaze towards Arthur, “I had a feeling that you’d like this song the first time it came out, Arthur.”

Then it struck Arthur that Alfred had been living for quite awhile.

How long this 19 years old-looking kid had lived, again? Three hundred years? Four hundred years? And to think that he lived at least half of his life losing and missing another Arthur… Arthur returned Alfred gaze, biting his lower lip as he did. It just sank in Arthur that Alfred had been living with his love for the previous Arthur for literally centuries. He had did what he did with ‘Octopus Garden’. Alfred was walking through time with his love to Arthur in mind and taking him throughout his long journey.

Suddenly, Arthur could imagine it; Alfred in 1950s, listening to ‘Octopus Garden’ for the first time and smiling to nobody, perhaps a little to himself, as he thought about his long, dead love.

Alfred had been waiting to meet him for so long.

Really, _really_ long.

So when Arthur thought about it, he started to tear up a little. Considering being touched by his guest's story was something Arthur didn't want his guest to know, he turned his head away from Alfred as fast as possible, but Alfred already saw him.

He let out a long “Awww” sound, leaving his seat slowly, and did another attempt to hug Arthur.

This time, Arthur let Alfred wrapped his cold, large arms around him.

“You’re always such a softie, Arthur,” Alfred mumbled into Arthur’s hair and Arthur could hear Alfred’s smile on his words. Alfred kissed the top of Arthur’s head lightly and sighed, “You always have such a gentle heart… do you understand now why I love you very much and still do after hundreds and hundreds of years?”

Arthur fought his tears and tried to suck them in, but in the end, he let his tears fell and he let Alfred guided him to bury his face upon the blue-eyed male’s chest.

It was the silliest thing yet the rightest thing Arthur Kirkland had done in years.

*)*

Arthur pouted to Alfred and told him not to ‘let the hug in over your head’ but also mumbled an almost inaudible ‘thank you’. Alfred heard everything and smiled widely, with teeth and all.

Arthur cleaned up the table and Alfred had offered to wash all the dishes for him. Arthur agreed and stood against the counter, checking his phone for any messages and emails he missed last night. The newest message he got was from Francis.

It said nothing but, “I have spare condoms if you need any. Be in love, but be safe. I love you. F x”

Alfred threw Arthur a confused glance when the Brit made a gesture like he was about to throw and smash his phone to the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do listen to 'Octopus Garden' because it's a very cute and calming song: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeVZR3yss50>
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	3. Over the Ocean of Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred told Arthur more on past Arthur and 'their' past. Arthur's conflicted.

“So the previous Arthur is... well... he’s my father.”

Arthur choked on his black tea.

It was time for his afternoon tea and Arthur couldn’t help but to ask Alfred more about the Arthur from seventeenth century. Alfred enthusiastic response made Arthur felt sorry; sorry that he had to endure himself to hear his guest speak like some kind of lovesick teenage girl, but also sorry that maybe Alfred didn’t have many ears to listen to his passion for literally centuries.

To be quite frank, though, the last thing that Arthur expected was for Alfred to say that the previous Arthur was his father.

“Your… father?” Arthur repeated in horror, dabbing his chin from tea with tissue.

Alfred laughed, “Oh God, that must’ve sound so wrong! I mean, like a father, you know. Of course, he’s not my real father. That would be a little scary—not to mention very wrong.”

Arthur throat felt dry and he wanted to reach for his cup of tea again, but afraid he would choke again. Alfred Jones was full of surprises so far.

“Of course, with the progress of history that humankind has made, to think that we were so twisted back then, y’know, on racial and same-sex marriage, I can’t help but to think that perhaps in the future, incest and bestiality will turn as ‘okay’. What do you think, Arthur?”

Arthur shook his head, “How—how was this Arthur is similar to a father figure?”

Alfred wide grin slowly reduced into a sad smile, “Well, he raised me. When I met him the first time, I was only a very little kid. But he fought over me and raised me on his own. That before the independence happened and he had to return to London.”

Arthur’s throat felt even drier, “Are you saying that the United States' independence separated you and your Arthur?”

For the first time since Arthur met Alfred, Alfred looked like someone who had lived for a very long time, like a war veteran who had to recall how his friends died on the battlefield.

“Yes. That and my immortality.”

Alfred suddenly stripped away his T-shirt and Arthur couldn’t help but to stare. It was a very inappropriate moment to ogle over someone’s toned stomach and wonderful abs, but Alfred quickly made his point.

“See? I’m spotless. I always am since I turned into vampire. But you don’t know how many times I tried to attempt suicide after realising that I will never see my Arthur again. I might be a vampire, but I was a young one and I had zero knowledge on how to go cross an ocean to see him. My strength overpowered me all the time, I was constantly starving for blood, and, of course, the sun hurt me very badly since I can't die.”

Arthur gulped. It sounded so surreal yet so sincere.

“About a hundred years after we separated, I finally got to go London. But a hundred years were simply too long for human to wait. Arthur didn’t even last that long. I found his grave. He didn’t even get to see his 35th birthday.”

Alfred seemed bitter, but he smiled. That confused Arthur. How could he smile when his story he currently told was just so painful?

Arthur was surprised to hear that his voice had turned hoarse when he attempted to ask, “S-so… what you’re saying is that I’m the reincarnation of your Arthur?”

Alfred did his another old, wise but saddened smile, “Maybe.”

Arthur simply didn’t know what else to say. The way Alfred stared at him was just too much. This man, Arthur thought, had travelled through times, waiting and waiting, hurting and dying but unable to pass away, just to see him again.

Alfred suddenly sat straight, “Oh! I almost forget to tell you. You usually come in a pack with your friends.”

Arthur raised his eyebrow, “‘Pack’?”

“I know Francis,” Alfred smiled. “Well, at least, the previous version of him. Remember that I told you that my Arthur fought for me? Yeah, he fought with past Francis for my adoption.”

Arthur could practically feel his eyes widened.

“Everyone always come each generation,” Alfred leaned back to the sofa again. “There were always one from each country. Francis is with Gilbert and Antonio, right? A couple of times, the three of them found each other and always ended up as good friend. There were also Ivan, Ludwig, Feliciano, Lovino—“

Arthur couldn’t believe that Alfred could tell the name of all his current friends. Some of them even lived in the very same apartment with him.

Alfred kept going, “I bet Elizaveta is around too. I hope Berwald and Tino are here as well.”

Arthur could only nod, scared and amazed at the same time.

“Ah, but you never came,” Alfred suddenly added. “Everyone always came and got rebirth every generation—well, at least I found them. I almost always found them, except on World War times, because those are some messy times. But Arthur never got to rebirth for hundreds and hundreds of years—not until now.”

‘Sorry’ couldn’t even begin to describe what Arthur felt for Alfred.

“Not until now,” Alfred repeated and slowly smiled. He laughed a little. “To be honest, I was about to give up. That’s why I went to that club and drunk myself into oblivion. By the way, I also haven’t sleep since, like, 2010—or was it 2012? I forgot. But anyway… I was too intoxicated when I saw you in the bathroom, but at least I remembered to puke at your shoe.”

Arthur grumbled as he remembered his dirtied Oxford.

“Don’t pout, Arthur, I’ll get you another pair,” Alfred chuckled. “Never mind that—I’ll get you another dozen pairs of shoes. I’ve been saving my money for hundreds of years now, you know, just so I can spoil you.”

Arthur really didn’t know what to say, but Alfred always filled in whenever Arthur started to feel awkward.

“Are you happy, Arthur?” Alfred asked, startling Arthur who was reaching out for his cup of tea.

“I don’t know,” Arthur answered truthfully, sipping his tea before opening his mouth again. “I mean, I’m not miserable or anything, but…” Arthur closed his eyes for a moment, remembering small and big moments of his life. He remembered all the people he loved. He had roof over his head, many books to read, and he was living a peaceful life. “Well, I guess you can say that I am happy,” he decided in the end, shrugging and finishing his tea.

Never in Arthur’s life he thought he would witness a smile and short chuckle that made him want to cry, but there Alfred was, smiling like he saw the gate of heaven.

“Thank God you’re happy. For a very, very long time, I’ve been worried about you. I couldn’t see you. You didn’t come around. Did your soul stuck somewhere? I don’t know. I’m very worried. But now you’re here. And you’re happy. And that’s all I ever wanted in my 258 years long existence.”

*)*

Later that Sunday night, as Arthur lied awake on his bed, he thought about the other Arthur, the previous one, the one Alfred was in love with.

He had limited knowledge of what might happened in the middle of eighteenth century, but Alfred was alive and breathed there. He thought about the other Arthur, trying to sink in the fact that hundreds years ago, someone exactly like him lived just on the same land. He thought about whether that Arthur and himself were the exact same copy.

But then, Arthur slowly thought, no matter how similar Arthur was with the other Arthur from hundreds years ago, they were simply different person. They might look the same, act the same, and have some similarities that Alfred could fall for twenty-first century Arthur, but this Arthur knew that it was only about time until Alfred Jones realised that Arthur from two hundred years ago was different with Arthur Kirkland today.

The thought resulted a small pang and a slight pain in his chest, but Arthur quickly brushed it off.

What did he care about if Alfred loved him or not?

After all, if he were the same person with Alfred’s past Arthur, time would also rot him. 

Time would still eventually rob him away from forever young and spotless Alfred Jones the vampire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we’re going any further, I must tell you that my knowledge on vampire isn’t the best and I will write a very freeform type of vampire.
> 
> So, yes, I know that if a vampire is dead and there’s no blood flowing inside him, then it’s impossible for him to have erection, biologically speaking (thanks, high school biology).
> 
> ~~But how can I not write Arthur and Alfred doing the hanky panky?~~
> 
> Thank you for reading—and also, this is a little late, but thank you for everyone who kudos, bookmark, and subscribe.
> 
> You all seriously made my day.


	4. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur had to go to college while Alfred couldn’t go out while sun was still out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more like a filler chapter so I’m sorry if it’s a little boring.

Arthur woke up before his alarm woke him that Monday morning. He stretched out and thinking about strawberry tea to accompany his breakfast. He looked down at his feet and thought something was off. Whatever that was, they weren't his feet or floor. So what was it?

As the blond male made his way to the kitchen, he passed the living room and suddenly knew exactly what was off.

Arthur no longer lived alone.

A large figure draped in blanket snored very loudly from Arthur's longest, oldest sofa. Alfred by far was person with loudest snore Arthur ever met in his life. That is if Alfred was a person at all. Arthur didn’t know any vampire beside Alfred Jones, so it was rather hard to make comparison.

Before meeting Alfred, Arthur thought a vampire would be more like an angel; you’ve heard about them, you’re not sure whether they exist, but sometimes you got the feeling that they are. But angel don’t come to people’s life. Neither do vampire.

Or so Arthur thought.

Vampire was more regal, Gothic, and terrifying on Arthur’s mind, but Alfred looked like your everyday pre-20 years old male teenager, only that his eyes sometimes reflect light more than usual human in the darkness. It was very easy to forget that Alfred was a vampire when he demanded coffee to Arthur or pouted like a little boy.

Or on moment like this, when Alfred slept so peacefully with drool escaping his opened mouth.

Staring down at his sleeping guest, Arthur smile bloomed. For the first time in his life, he thought that living with someone else wasn’t bad and that was high, coming from someone who was uncomfortable sharing living space even with his own family.

Arthur was tempted to land a kiss on Alfred and knew the sleeping vampire would appreciate it, but he left the living room towards the kitchen.

His routine would be opening curtains on his flat before making breakfast, but now Arthur had someone he had to protect from the sun.

Arthur raised the blind on his kitchen for a short while, watching the sunrise bathed the city in the mix of purple, red, and orange. It was a beautiful view, the Englishman thought, and he was halfway thinking of wanting to wake up Alfred just so he could see it to until Arthur remembered that Alfred wasn’t supposed to meet the sun.

How long had Alfred been in the darkness? Arthur wondered.

Arthur didn’t exactly take the sun for granted. As an ex-Londoner, he could appreciate a sunny day much like everyone else back on his precious hometown. But at least he got to see blazing sun on a summer day when Francis invited everyone to his family villa in Cannes. He could take a flight to Los Angeles and enjoyed the beach whenever he would. Alfred couldn’t.

Even a simple walk to stretch his legs after afternoon lunch was something that Alfred simply couldn’t do.

Arthur pouted to nobody.

How could someone stuck in the darkness for so long yet still so cheerful like he enjoyed the most beautiful sunny day everyday?

He closed the blind and started to fill the kettle with water, not realising that it was full until the water overflowed and bit coldness into his fingers around the kettle.

*)*

Arthur left a short message and an instruction of how to make coffee with drip method for Alfred on the dining table before leaving for university. He knew he had to think about what he should do with his supernatural guest, but work is work and Arthur had to go to study every weekdays.

He was only three steps away from the university gate when he heard a familiar voice from his behind.

“So, _Angleterre_ , tell me about your conquest this weekend,” Francis flung one of his arm around Arthur, who choked and grumbled as soon as the Frenchman touched him.

“What conquest?” he sighed.

Francis only raised his eyebrows in the most annoying way possible. Gilbert and Antonio appeared from thin air and chimed in, “Conquest! Conquest! Conquest!”

Arthur wanted to smack all three of them.

Francis chuckled, “It’s a little strange for you to do one night stand. Of course, I personally don’t mind a little love here and there occasionally, but you’re more of a lithromantic, aren’t you, _mon petit lapin_?”

Arthur glared, but before he could speak, someone else already spoke, “What’s a ‘lithromantic’?”

Francis and Arthur turned their heads to another young male. This one had auburn red hair and honey-coloured eyes, who half-walked half-jumped and tailed by a tall, muscular male who was pale and seemingly tired.

“Good morning, Feliciano,” Antonio stopped chiming to greet the Italian.

“Lithromantic means someone who doesn’t want their romantic feeling to be returned,” Francis filled in.

Feliciano laughed, “Sometimes I am a lithromantic for the ladies.”

Francis sneered, “Why, of course, why would you look for something else when you already have your own portion of large, delicious beefcake—“ before the tall man behind Feliciano smacked him on the head with book thick enough to replace a brick. “A-and good morning to you to, _Herr_ Ludwig.”

Ludwig almost smacked Francis again, but Gilbert’s good morning to his younger brother stopped Francis for having two smacks in the same morning.

Arthur sighed again, but then he smiled.

_Are you happy, Arthur?_

He saw Antonio ran to Feliciano’s brother, a pouty man by the name of Lovino, who was trying to stay as far as possible from a man taller than Ludwig with ashen blond hair who was menacing enough to make people always give him way. Ivan’s scarf today was dark blue and shuddering behind him was a Canadian called Matthew. Lovino hid behind Ludwig and Feliciano started to protest about Ludwig’s back belong to him and Arthur couldn’t believe he was a part of this idiotic group of university students.

Is Arthur happy?

Very much so.

*)*

Alfred woke up to city rumble on the distance and a quiet flat.

So Arthur had left to university.

Alfred sat slowly, stretching his arms, and yawned as wide as possible. He didn’t really need to sleep, but it felt so good just to sleep, whether he was human or not.

He found Arthur’s note on the kitchen and smile. Arthur might appear grumpy and overall unapproachable, but he was a gentleman and his heart was simply as wonderful as his stitching ability.

So Alfred followed Arthur’s instruction and made a cup of coffee even though he wanted blood more than anything. Well, to be fair, he always wanted blood more than anything and the desire never ceased and would never end as long as he lived.

Alfred brought his coffee to the living room, turned out the television, and laughed when he automatically connected to a BBC station. 

He sipped his coffee slowly, not paying much attention to what the male talked about behind his table in London, but listen to it like one listens to music; not to understand what’s the instrument, but simply to enjoy the sound. Every little bit of anything British reminded him of his Arthur.

Arthur.

Arthur was finally _here_.

_Home._

Alfred was _home_.

It felt so good to be home after such a long time.

Even for an Alfred Jones, 240 years was a terribly long time to be lost and unable to find a way home.


	5. Getting Messy in the Bath Tub

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had only been three days and Arthur couldn't believe he would about to have his blood sucked by his vampire guest already.

"You're home!"

Arthur never announced that he was home. It was never necessary to announce your arrival to an empty living space. But that was before Alfred suddenly jumped into his life, just like how he jumped in front of Arthur and wrapped his arms around the Englishman's shoulder as he announced Arthur's return.

"Wow, you're cold!" Alfred commented happily and pulled back.

"That's rich, coming from you," Arthur grumbled.

Autumn (or fall, that's how people in this country called it) came a little early that year and the temperature dropped faster than Feliciano rushing towards pasta sale. Arthur didn't really mind the cold though London's winter was considered as warm, but he wasn't sure he was happy to have a cold-skinned vampire hugging him in such situation, now that Arthur accepted the fact that Alfred just loved hugging him so much.

"Sorry," Alfred grinned ear-to-ear and Arthur smiled as well before he even realised it.

Arthur took off his shoes and sighed, "It's okay. I mean, well, it's not exactly okay, but it's okay. Why are you so cold, anyway?"

Alfred rolled his eyes, "Because I'm dead! Duh!"

Arthur grumbled, "You look very much alive in my eyes."

"Well, human Alfred is long dead. There's only vampire Alfred now," Alfred knocked his own chest twice with his right hand.

Arthur blinked, "I'm sorry-"

"You don't have to. So what are we going to do tonight?" Alfred jumped to the sofa and Arthur had a feeling that the vampire wanted him to join. Cuddling on sofa sounded tempting, but Arthur had job to do.

"For I starter, I have to study. There are some readings that must be done and two essays due next month."

Alfred smiled, "Want me to help you?"

Arthur raised his eyebrows, "I don't mind, but how?"

Alfred's eyes squinted and there came a moment where he looked like a proper hundreds years old vampire, "You're an English literature major, right? Sweetheart, Arthur, I was already alive and experienced the era where your book was set on."

*)*

Cheating.

Arthur felt like cheating so terribly by having Alfred around helping him with the reading and essay.

He gave Arthur insight that Arthur was sure that even his professors would never be capable off. Comparing one era with another was as easy as comparing a banana to a watermelon for Alfred, who had outlived two World Wars and one Cold War.

"Will they get suspicious if they think that my essay is too good?" Arthur asked, more to himself than to Alfred, who leaned on his elbow next to him on the table.

"They probably will, but my knowledge is authentic," he shrugged. "No one can argue with it. I mean, if you're writing on living in America by asking someone who does, there's a large portion of undeniable truth in there."

Arthur closed his laptop and stood, "Well, I suppose as long as one can explain how one reaches a conclusion, it's acceptable to have such in depth exploration upon a topic..." He huffed and wondered what to cook for dinner or whether he would simply visit Francis' flat for a nibble or two.

"So what are we going to have for dinner?" Alfred asked.

Arthur stared at his guest, "I've had this question for sometime in my head, but why are you eating human food? Is it okay for you to eat omelette and drink coffee?"

Alfred laughed, "It's no problem. It's simply like... inhaling good smell from amazing restaurant. It doesn't fill my stomach, but I can enjoy it. Oh, are you worried about feeding two stomachs instead of one? We can always use my money, you know..." He then pulled out a wallet and, from inside it, a black credit card.

"That's not my concern, Alfred," Arthur sighed. "You can eat whatever you like and I won't ask for your money. I'm just-"

"- Worried?" Alfred finished his sentence.

Arthur nodded reluctantly, "Shouldn't you be outside and hunting human or something?" Night had fall for quite sometime, anyway.

Alfred grinned nastily, "Fortunately, the only human I want is already here with me."

Arthur blinked, "Do you want to drink my blood?"

Alfred's grin disappear and his eyes looked hollow for a second.

"Alfred?" Arthur stepped towards the vampire and Alfred smiled sheepishly.

He looked a little guilty somehow, "You _do_ look delicious, Arthur, but I won't drink you without your consent."

Arthur also smiled, "I'm just worried, to be quite honest. How long a vampire can go without blood, anyway?"

"A couple of years is okay, but not good. When I can, I only drink from animal or from hospital- but they're not very good, usually. I don't worry too much about it. I don't think about the taste. It's like how human don't choose the air the breathe in- it's simply necessary to live."

Arthur nodded, storing the information inside a folder named 'Alfred Jones: Vampire' in his head.

Alfred looked at him, "Do you want me to drink you, Arthur?"

Arthur blushed. He even startled himself.

Alfred's triumphant expression spelled 'Bullseye'.

Arthur inched backwards toward the kitchen counter, "I-it's not like... I'm not- I'm just worried about you, do you understand?"

Alfred stood, "Yep." He walked to Arthur with no hesitation and Arthur somehow felt so hot and aroused it was a crime.

With Alfred stood an inch away in front of him, Arthur could only trembled and whispered, "Will it hurt?"

Alfred's eyes were so close to his. The blue didn't look like any shade of blue Arthur ever encounter in his life- not that any blue he saw was shining and changing colour on every movement.

Alfred smiled, "A little."

Arthur whimpered.

"Arthur, we don't have to do it if you don't want to."

"W-who said I don't want to, you fool?" Arthur snapped and Alfred smiled.

"Excuse me," the vampire said and carried Arthur, bridal-style, to... the bathroom.

"The bathroom?" Arthur yelped as Alfred lowered him to the bath tub. It was a little chilly in there and Alfred's body temperature certainly didn't help.

"It can get messy," Alfred shrugged. "It's easier to clean in a place like this, right?"

Arthur couldn't argue with that. He was itching with anticipation and he didn't even know why he was anticipating this. Was it because Alfred was just too damn charming? The git was nice, knowledgeable, considering, and also so freaking hot Arthur wanted to scream his head of.

Alfred started to pull Arthur's sweater through his head and Arthur squealed in the most embarrassing way possible.

As Alfred's long, cold finger made his way through Arthur's shirt buttons, Arthur trembled so much he thought there was a legit earthquake. His face was so hot and Alfred's touch against his skin was calming and mortifying at the same time.

"Arthur," Alfred's concern sounded sinfully delicious on Arthur's ear. "You're really shaking and red. Are you sure you want to-"

"Just get it off with!" Arthur used all of his strength to stare Alfred on the eyes.

Alfred smiled, but he also licked his lower lip as he stared at Arthur.

Arthur felt like he was about to die from overheating.

Why was it so easy for Arthur to let this stranger into his life? Was there a power of their past relationship somehow? What if Alfred lied? But his skin was so cold and he knew way too much about United States' economy in 1920s for someone so young... and the eyes. Arthur couldn't explain the eyes even if he wanted to. He never met any human whose eyes glowing in the dark. Arthur wanted to scream 'stop' and 'quicker' at the same time and he literally moaned when Alfred finally touched the base of his neck slowly.

"Arthur..." Alfred called him, but his voice was too confusing to Arthur, whose brain seemed to melt for some reason.

Arthur could only nodded when Alfred stared at him. The vampire slowly lowered his head towards Arthur's neck, Alfred's cold lips brushing his shoulder and Arthur let out another embarrassing moan as his body trembled in anticipation and-

 _"Mein Gott!"_ someone gasped.

No one else would yell like that except a certain Gilbert Beilschmidt, who currently stood in the the bathroom door with Francis who looked like he already broke his lower jaw on his attempt not to laugh and Antonio who was redder than his favourite type of tomato.

"W-what are you git doing here?" Arthur screamed. He was so embarrassed he could die, but Alfred reattached his shirts' button and left the tub.

"Hi, Guys. Francis, I believe we met yesterday morning," he laughed casually. "And you must be Gilbert and Antonio! Arthur had told me about you two."

Arthur certainly didn't tell Alfred about any of it, but he was still shaking on the bath tub. Having Alfred at least a meter away from him made Arthur realised that he was rock hard to the point that it was painful.

"So what are you guys here for? Ah, I'll get something to drink. Does any of you want Coke? Or maybe tea? Arthur has a looot of tea, but you already know that..." Alfred casually took the trio to the dining room and Arthur wanted to cry in the tub.

He knew for sure that those three, especially Francis, would never ever let him forget about the previous moment; the moment when they found Arthur about to be done by a hot young male in the bath tub.


	6. What Friends are For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bad touch trio got to know about Arthur's new, vampire 'boyfriend'.

"You know, we really can leave if you prefer to make love to my English friend on the bath tub..."

"Oh, don't worry, Francis. The coitus can wait."

Arthur peered from the kitchen door and he couldn't believe that Francis spoke such thing or Alfred let the three of them thought that they were about to fuck in the bathroom. Gilbert's eyes found him first and the albino looked at him with an expression Arthur interpreted mix of amazement and disgust.

"Arthur! There's our star of the show. Come here. I'm a little... vell, angered since you tell me nothing about getting new boyfriend," he grinned nastily towards Arthur.

Antonio eyes sparkled in a way that Arthur translated it as 'Please tell me your secret to charm a boy over a night'.

Arthur hesitantly walked to the table his friends sat on.

Gilbert was still looking at him, "You know, you're so much perverted than I thought you were... und has really cute sex moan."

Arthur was positive he was going to knee Gilbert if only he legs didn't feel like they were about to give up.

"I know," Alfred nodded in agreement and Arthur wanted to knee him as well.

"Y-you guys are mistaken," Arthur shook his head but no one seemed to believe him.

Francis looked positively disappointed, "Arthur, _mon ami_ , it's okay to have a boyfriend."

"I didn't say it was _not_ okay!" Arthur snapped.

Alfred's head turned at Arthur, "Does this mean I'm your boyfriend now?"

Antonio finally spoke, "Wait, so you're not his boyfriend... yet?"

Alfred's eyes were still at Arthur's face, "Do you want to be my boyfriend, Arthur?"

Gilbert whistled, "Way to go, Arthur!"

Arthur finally found the strength to grab a magazine and smacked everyone in the head.

*)*

"So... Alfred... you a... vampire?" Antonio laughed nervously but Arthur could tell that all the Spaniard wanted was to tell Lovino about this on their next meeting.

Arthur wasn't sure telling everyone that his guest was a vampire was the best thing to do, but Alfred announced his supernatural status like a Londoner commenting on the heavy rain outside; as natural as canary to fly. Francis complimented Alfred for his handsome face and overall young but sexy appearance and Gilbert said he was glad to have a comrade who was also hated by the sun. So far, they all accepted Alfred extremely well.

A little _too_ well, perhaps.

Arthur knew he was deep in a group of freaks, but he didn't believe that they were this... freaky.

"Yeah. About two hundred and fifty years ago, I was in love with an Englishman named Arthur and it didn't go very well, but it's okay, because I found him now."

Francis leaned forward with his elbows on the table, "Are you saying that your eighteenth century Arthur reincarnated into this Arthur?" he gestured towards Arthur who wanted to run away and stay at the same time.

"Something like that," Alfred answered casually. "But you know what? I also met your previous self. Francis when Arthur was around was from some kind of French embassy on the America the English colony... you were a sucker for good food just like Antonio here a sucker for tomato."

"No way!" 

"That's unbelievable!"

"We also have past selves?"

Arthur was glad that they spent the rest of the night talking about the previous Francis, Antonio, and Gilbert, and only when they realised it was almost midnight that Arthur finally understood that Alfred did that in purpose.

The trio went back to their flats, satisfied and had drank a little too much Coke, leaving Alfred beaming and Arthur felt strange.

"Man, they're just as fun as their past selves," Alfred stared lovingly at the door and Arthur still hadn't spoke a word.

Alfred hugged him sideways and Arthur didn't budge.

"I'm sorry they caught us in such an unfortunate situation, Arthur," he kissed Arthur's head and Arthur leaned to his cool arms before he realised it. "But they understand. They're your friends."

"Mm," Arthur finally mumbled. He felt a little light-headed. Lately, his body seemed to be out of his control. It gravitated towards Alfred without Arthur realising it.

Alfred released his hug and Arthur already longed for the coldness of Alfred's skin, since he felt like burning himself.

"It's late. You have class tomorrow, right? It's bed time, then," Alfred stroke Arthur's cheek with the back of his right hand, leaving cooling trail of heat on Arthur's skin, before jumping to his sofa and snoring in no time.

Arthur didn't get to say that he really wished that Alfred had drink him that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very unimportant note: I know it's a little weird for such a tea-loving, old person like Arthur to have tons of Coke on stock, but I don't drink soda myself and I keep a lot of them for my friends when they visit.
> 
> After all, Arthur loved his annoying friends so much, right?
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	7. This Time We'll Get it Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred had some thoughts on his feeling and situation. He also visited an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a little sad. I'm sorry in advance.

Alfred woke up to sunlight on his face.

His whole body felt warm from the sun and he slowly sat, letting the blanket fell to the mattress. He stepped on the floor, walking towards the sunbathed scenery outside. There was only grass and grass as far as he eyes could see. But the strangest thing was the sun. No, not that the sun didn't burn him, but the ray of the sun was different. It was... purer, gentler than the sun he watched from the distance for several past decades.

Alfred closed his eyes, enjoying the sun and wind on his face, on his skin, on his very being.

Alfred Jones was alive.

He breathed under the sun and immersed on its warmth.

A sudden creak of door hinge behind him made Alfred turned his head around. In the only door of the small bedroom, someone stepped in. 

"Good morning, Alfred."

Alfred could only see a slice of smiling mouth while the rest of the face was hidden by the shadow. But Alfred didn't need to see everything. He knew that lips. He knew that hands. He knew that legs.

In Alfred's dream, he was never able to see Arthur's face.

*)*

Alfred woke up to darkness, panting furiously and felt tears prickling on the corner of his eyes.

He grabbed the blanket and the sofa underneath him. What time was it? What year was it? He looked at digital clock on the coffee table and saw number 2015. 

Vampire's dream was always so much more vivid than human's. Perhaps because vampire had more memories, more emotions than human, whatever the component of dream was. Too bad Sigmund Freud never studied a vampire's mind. Alfred stroke sweat and tears from his face and sighed.

It had been at least fifteen years since he had dream about his life as human back in the middle of eighteenth century. He remembered the sun ray. Sunlight had changed radically for the past two hundreds years and Alfred could say that they didn't get any kinder. Alfred used to think that earth was such a pitiful place, a hell for those who lived on it, a hell he was forever stuck on. He envied the human more than anything, because they could escape to eternity so easily. But then Arthur appeared in front of him and suddenly the hell he was forced to live at turned into flower garden and blue mountain on the background.

Alfred had heard about human's song on missing their other half, but there wasn't any word for what Alfred felt for Arthur.

How could you name a desperate longing for someone for more than two hundred years?

All the pain that all humanity could ever feel would probably lost to Alfred's despair. 

The vampire stroke his own hair and stood up, leaving the sofa. His steps was perfectly soundless as he approached Arthur's bedroom door.

He took a peek to the sleeping Englishman inside and his initial smile turned into tears and sobs.

There was no time. There was no more time. 

Arthur was now on his twenties, but soon time would drown him into an old man and then to a stony grave mark.

There was so little time for Alfred to have Arthur again after such a long time.

Alfred just realised that even after two hundred years, he still didn't know how to love someone properly. Had anyone in all humanity formulated a perfect recipe to love someone? Perhaps not. But even so, Alfred was now desperate for it. Now that Arthur here... now while Arthur was around...

The first time Alfred saw the second Francis, his dead heart seemed to suddenly start again. If Francis around, then maybe the others were around. To be frank, Alfred didn't care if he didn't see his friends again, that if he never had the chance to see Antonio or Gilbert again, as long as he could have Arthur by his side forever. Forget his friend; he'll give the world, including everything inside, just to have Arthur again.

He would do anything to just see a glimpse of Arthur Kirkland.

But as second Francis turned old and finally lied still while his granddaughter cried upon his cold body, Alfred knew that his chance to find Arthur was thin. Then he found the third Francis, the fourth Gilbert, the fifth Antonio, the sixth Feliciano- and everyone always came, always reborn, always found each other, yet Alfred never found his Arthur.

Human life was too fragile, too short, to precious, too fast to pass.

Alfred stroke away tears from his eyes and left through the opened window.

*)*

"So you finally found your Arthur, Alfred."

"Good morning, Yao."

A small, dark-eyed male smiled to Alfred, who had entered his room through another opened window. The city had started to sleep outside at the clock slowly turned to one in the morning. Alfred hoisted himself up and sat not far from Yao, who was currently painting Chinese characters.

"Sorry I didn't tell you that I wanted to come," Alfred closed the window behind him and walked toward Yao.

Yao looked up to him and smiled. Yao's smile always calm Alfred. "It's okay. I know you'd come, anyway. So what is that you come to talk about?"

Alfred sat on the bed next to Yao and his tools and he sighed.

Even if Alfred told Yao everything, Yao would always answer the same. After living for four thousands years, Yao seemed to know everything- like every single thing. He seemed to have eyes everywhere and though Alfred couldn't figure out how Yao could see through wall or witness something a thousand miles away, the younger vampire simply accepted it. After all, Alfred was truly blessed by Yao's presence. Where else would you find a wise, older vampire friend in times like this?

"There's no secret recipe in relationship, Alfred," Yao voice pulled Alfred back to reality. "The pain you feel isn't special. Pain is part of living experience."

Alfred wanted to sob again, "I just don't know what to do, Yao. He'll just disappear and die before I can even say 'freedom'."

Yao chuckled, "You love him hard, Alfred. You love him hard and right- this time, you make it right."

Alfred found his smile again and he waited until Yao finished a character before hugging the much older vampire from behind.

"Geez, Alfred, keep your hug special for your Arthur."

Alfred shook his head, "Yao, you're special too, only in a different way."

Yao smiled again the last time Alfred saw before he flee through that window of fifth floor.

Sometimes, the smallest thing people say could occupy large part in your heart and ease your way forward in life.

*)*

Arthur woke up at six to smell of fried bacon and peppermint tea.

He found Alfred scrubbing the sink and smiled once he saw Arthur.

"Good morning!" the vampire seemed to be extra enthusiastic that morning.

But nothing really went past Arthur, the master of reading others, though he decided to act like he didn't care most of the time. After all, he couldn't let everyone knew that he saw everything and he cared.

That morning, Arthur was the one who hug Alfred.

"Uh... Arthur?" Alfred was over the moon, but he carefully removed the rubber gloves before stroking Arthur's back.

Arthur mumbled into Alfred's chest, "I don't know what makes you down and I don't think I can comprehend it because you're so much older than me and everything, but- but I'm here. I'm the Arthur you had been looking for for years, right?"

Alfred laughed and kissed Arthur's head, "Yes. Yes you are."

This time, Alfred would make it right. 

This time, everything would be right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was heavily influenced by Muse's song "Exogenesis: Symphony, Pt. 3: Redemption". The title of this chapter is also taking the lyric from the said song. 
> 
> Also, a little spoiler, I guess the overall ending of "The Eagle Tea" would also be based on the song, so you can take a peek or try to listen if you want to guess how this silly fic of mine would end.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	8. Two Months for Eternity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fast forward, Arthur asked whether Alfred wanted to join him for family visit to London.

"I passed with flying scores and I should thank you, Alfred."

"You can always kiss me and I'll appreciate it- I can't wait to make love to you, but a kiss will suffice."

Arthur blushed and attempted to pinch Alfred's cheek towards his direction. Alfred just laughed. Arthur laughed as well.

Almost two months already passed since Arthur brought home Alfred Jones the vampire from a club and so many things changed yet stay the same.

For the first time and possibly the last time, Arthur held a party on his flat. Gilbert was the one who actually took care of everything, from inviting to constructing a ridiculously tall punch fountain. The party was quite a success, especially when Alfred finally got to meet all Arthur's friend- or his past friends who knew nothing about him but just as loud and cheerful that Alfred was content.

Arthur learnt two very important lessons that night. The first being the fact that vampire couldn't get drunk over literally a gallon of beer. The second being that nothing made him happier than the sight of Alfred reunited with his friends.

Everyone loved Alfred even though he did invade some personal space and sometimes ignore what others say, but there was something so charming about him that in the end of the night Arthur knew even Ludwig and Berwald had accepted the immortal Alfred Jones in their lives.

Arthur's daily life also didn't changed dramatically. Even if it did, everything felt so normal.

He left for university in the morning and return in the evening to Alfred, who didn't feel like returning to his place his New York. Arthur had seen it coming, but he was still a little shocked to know that Alfred had living space in every states.

But Alfred didn't mind sleeping on the sofa. "Better than any coffin I ever used," he joked.

Arthur really didn't know what makes Alfred special for a very long time, until one day, when Alfred greeted him with a hug, Arthur finally understood.

In general, English people simply don't hug each other. When Arthur arrived to the States, he found that a lot of people fancied his accent. To Arthur, of course, his accent was as dull as dishwater, but he knew at least a dozen fellow female university students who would date him for his accent alone. But all of them had something in common: they kept their distance from Arthur.

Arthur didn't know whether it was because his upbringing and a speck of royal blood in him made people think he couldn't be mess with. Even Francis, a lifelong friend, didn't stand beside him like Alfred did.

But Alfred's declaration since the first day stood still. The vampire loved him and wanted all part of him. He also wanted the grumpy mood, thick eyebrows, and relatively bland food; parts of Arthur he never knew anyone could love, apart from his London accent.

*)*

"So what are you going to do for holiday, Arthur?"

"I think I have to go back to London."

"'Have to'?" Alfred raised his eyebrows and Arthur sighed to his direction. Arthur didn't exactly dislike his family, but there were reasons why he chose to study in United States. He had contemplated about it since Alfred came into his life and Arthur finally understood why he loved his idiotic group of friends so much. Since everyone came from different backgrounds and countries, they all very different to him in the most refreshing way possible. All the Kirkland Arthur knew was exactly like him; heavy.

Of course Arthur was a serious person. He took everything seriously, from studying to socialising. Some people were okay with that. Some people weren't.

Sometimes he wished he could take thing easily and just live his life like there was now tomorrow. He wasn't even 25, for God's sake. But alas, Arthur Kirkland stayed just like Arthur Kirkland; grumpy, over-serious, and either make people giggle or roll their eyes. Lately, Arthur had accepted him for who he was, but sometimes the insecurities crawled into his mind, making him wonder whether he could go on in live staying exactly like this or whether he had to change so people no longer got overwhelmed by him.

His every single thought of self-hate disappeared whenever he saw Alfred.

Alfred had travelled more than 200 years just to see him. That lone made Arthur felt like he was finally worthy for something, someone.

But dark thought still loomed over him like clouds filled with rain upon London. Every time Arthur looked at Alfred, something on his chest felt like being tightened in a rather uncomfortable way. Every time Arthur looked at Alfred, he thought why was he so emotionally fragile despite his statement that he couldn't care that much about people. Arthur would never be able to forget Alfred because he couldn't.

Then tenderness flew once Arthur realised that his problem was so much smaller than Alfred's, who simply couldn't die and simply couldn't stop loving Arthur. Arthur knew that one day he would stopped breathing just like the rest of humanity, but Alfred would stay. Alfred would always stay. Arthur never knew that the moment he would think about considering immortality came. Arthur never knew that death could be something so calming before Alfred came. Death was a closure. An ending. A guarantee that in the end, everything will be okay or at least you simply can't care about it any more...

Arthur found out that Alfred had been reading his books- and that Alfred's favourite quote so far was on Oscar Wilde's 'The Canterville Ghost': "Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one's head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no tomorrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace.”

Remembering that, Arthur patted Alfred head even though he was taller and older than him.

"You can come with me to London, you know."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We'll get night flight or something. I mean... if you want to."

"Of course I want to! Wait, does this mean I get to see your family?"

"Well... yeah," Arthur shrugged. Alfred looked slightly hesitant and Arthur chuckled. "You don't have to worry if my family would be against you or something because I think they already have the gist that I'm gay for a very long time."

Alfred's smile was a little sad, "That's really relieving to know. Your family in the past, they..."

Alfred didn't finish his sentence, but he didn't have to. Arthur already knew.

"I can't wait to meet your family, Arthur," Alfred mumbled into Arthur's hand, that was now on Alfred's cheek, caressing the vampire's cool skin slowly.

Arthur nodded, "And I can't wait to have them meeting you as well."

Alfred smiled and leaned down to kiss Arthur. Arthur tiptoed a little to meet his lips.

Being with Alfred was the most natural thing Arthur had to do in his life. Alfred didn't even have to ask Arthur to be his boyfriend. Truth to be told, Arthur won't be surprised at all if tomorrow morning he woke up next to loudly-snoring Alfred and gold ring on his finger. There would be nothing perplexing or even slightly strange if tomorrow he had to wake up their children, cooking breakfast and dressing them for school, assuring them that it was so okay to have two fathers and that their fathers loved them more than their lives.

It would be as simple as breathing air.

Alfred's cold lips moved against him and Arthur was pulled back into reality. 

Now that Arthur thought about it, he really wanted such a life with Alfred. He wanted it so much his whole body ached. But as Alfred left a gentle peck on the side of his lips before he pulled back, leaving trail of hot coldness on Arthur's face, Arthur knew that thing wasn't exactly that simple. 

Because Alfred Jones wasn't human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting somehow angsty and I kind of want to slap myself.
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	9. Ceaselessy Into the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred's story time with Ludwig ended up reconciling quarrelled lovers.

"I... truly apologise, but if you don't mind, I'd like to fetch my-"

"- Upset boyfriend?"

Alfred was grinning to the man behind the door, the stern man known as Ludwig Beilschmidt.

Ludwig lived on the first floor, a floor under his brother Gilbert's flat. He lived alone, but everyone simply accepted that a Feliciano Vargas also practically lived there. Most of the time, the flat smelled like a strange combination between tons of books Ludwig had for his engineering degree and tomato paste with boiled pasta. The other time, the flat was filled with yelped and cried and that was when everyone knew that Ludwig and Feliciano had a row.

Everytime they did it, Feliciano would run away to closest open door. Arthur's was his escape this time, because the Englishman was opening the door for throwing away foods that would go bad on the time he would be in London. Arthur grumbled, but he let Feliciano hid in his bedroom until Ludwig came for his boyfriend and apology.

Arthur returned and he wasn't surprise to see Ludwig on his doorway. The three of them settled into Arthur's living room, where Arthur served a bottle of Coke for Alfred, a glass of mineral water for Ludwig, and a cup of thick black tea for himself. Before Arthur could even say anything, his phone rang and then it appeared that he had to take care of some visa business on the embassy. He excused himself, leaving Alfred alone with Ludwig for the first time.

Alfred stared at Ludwig who sat across him.

The previous Ludwigs- yes, there were several of him- didn't differ very much from this one. Always the same hard expression, the same consideration masked in seriousness, the same way of clearing his forehead from strands of hair. (Though some Ludwigs looked a little silly with wig and collar that looked like dog's cone of the older centuries' fashion, his gaze always silenced everyone.) Alfred chuckled when he could practically hear Ludwig's brain working out some appropriate topics to talk with someone who was 250 years old. His chuckle startled Ludwig, but then it made the German smile albeit a little.

"I never met anyone so aged before, Alfred," Ludwig exhaled.

Alfred shrugged, "I'm just a strange very-old American grandpa in the body of a teenager. There's nothing so special about me."

Ludwig laughed a little and then the silence filled the air. Alfred wasn't surprised when Ludwig was the one who broke it, because curiosity was always distinctive trait of the previous Ludwigs.

"So... you've seen previous me in previous life, Alfred?"

Alfred nodded.

"Do I always... you know..."

"Find Feliciano?"

Ludwig was red to his ears and it was a pretty adorable thing to see.

Alfred tried to remember, "Well, it wasn't always so easy in the beginning. You were always such a strict man that I'm surprised that Feliciano always bounced back to you in his every lifetime. Sometimes you end up happily, sometimes you didn't exactly end together at all, but..." Alfred huffed, "Why do you want to hear about all this, Ludwig? It doesn't change anything nor it will. Nostalgia served no purpose and if there's anything I've learned for the past two hundred years, that was it."

Ludwig looked a little taken aback and Alfred knew that sometimes human found his depth stunning.

"But I can understand if you want to know whether your love also transcend time," Alfred smiled.

Ludwig looked like he had too many things to say he simply didn't know what to say, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Alfred replied. "I can tell you some stories of the past Feliciano and past you. Do you want to hear the happy or the unhappy one?"

"I want to hear everything," Ludwig's reply was exactly as Alfred predicted.

Alfred leaned back to the sofa and took a deep breath, "There was one in the mid 1850s. You two met in Southern France. You were some sort of crew ship, but the one who take care of complicated part like the physic of it or some sort. Feliciano worked in a little bar by the sea. He was terrible with his work, but he made a hell of dishes.

"Your ship stopped there a couple of times by the year you two met. Both of you were always attracted to each other by some kind of invisible magnet. One day, he kissed you behind the bar- or so I thought. I didn't know, but I kind of can tell from the way you kept brushing your lip afterward, like you wanted to make sure that the lips Feliciano kissed was yours.

"Of course, things didn't go exactly well with you having to sail the oceans of the world and Feliciano stuck in front of stove in France. There was a lot of turmoil and you were nearly died when your merchant ship was attacked by some pirates. Luckily, even though your fellow crews were scattered for the rest of eternity, this means you could go back to Feliciano and be with him. Both of you left Europe to live together somewhere in South-east Asia. I found both of your graves in Thailand when I went there for Vietnam War. They were unmarked, but I was able to traced the story back of you two through local archives and after asking some people."

Alfred was quite satisfied to see awe in Ludwig's face.

"That was incredible," he muttered almost breathlessly.

Alfred shrugged, "That's the happy one. Do you want to hear the unhappy one?"

Ludwig nodded and braced himself to the point that Alfred knew he would feel sorry for him afterwards.

"There's one when you were an SS soldier who was stationed in North Italy."

Ludwig already looked like Alfred just decided to punch him in the throat.

"Feliciano was always himself; wanting pasta more than anything, especially when other thing was war. He was just normal civilian trapped under fascism and war. You met him on a pub designed for SS officers. None of you could really speak to each other because you don't speak Italian and he didn't speak German. Funny thing was you two speak in English, using the language that your countries' considered as enemy."

Ludwig looked at Alfred and Alfred decided to let him ask, "How do you see all this? Wouldn't it be strange to an American to get stranded in North Italy in such time?"

"Well, I learned a thing or two on dressing myself after about a hundred and fifty years, you know," Alfred shrugged. "That and also, at night, I kind of can control people's mind, though even now I'm still bad at it."

"You can... do that?" Ludwig jaw was hanging open.

"On small thing, yeah," Alfred chuckled. "I can't sneak into an important figure's room and change their mind on war, unfortunately. I can make them forget something they saw five minutes ago or make them buy flower for their loved ones, but that's basically it. Only on small things. Actually, I tried to change political course once on the Civil War and they put at least two dozens of bullet in me. An older vampire friend of mine told me it wasn't our place to interfere with the fate of the world. Just because we go through time and got to see so many things, that doesn't mean we can always change the world."

Ludwig nodded and Alfred chuckled, tried to make the situation lighter.

"Anyway... do you still want to hear about your story with Feliciano two generations ago?"

Ludwig nodded again.

"Well, it goes without saying that you're not exactly allowed to have relationship with another male or else you'll get sent to a camp. But you were still allowed to fall in love to a young Italian male and there you two were," Alfred looked Ludwig at the eyes and he remembered the soldier in Wehrmacht uniform who seemed to scream 'help me' with his every gaze after his days with Feliciano Vargas. "As you knew, Italy surrendered a year before the war ended. You got sent to Stalingrad and never escaped it. Feliciano lost his left arm on a bombing and died before his 41st birthday. You two never meet each other again.

"Look, not every story end happily, but then again, tons of story didn't back at that time of the century. What's important is now. Can you make it right now? Can you do your best and tell the world confidently that you've tried your hardest to make it right to your loved ones now?"

Ludwig was still wordless and Alfred suddenly realised he was trying not to cry.

A creak from Arthur's bedroom made both Alfred and Ludwig lifted his head. Feliciano ran from the bedroom towards Ludwig before kissing the German furiously on his face. Alfred chuckled. Feliciano must been hearing everything from the bedroom.

"Veee. I'm sorry, Ludwig! I'm sorry! I love you! Don't leave me! Don't go to Stalingrad! Veee!"

Ludwig wrapped his arms around Feliciano and finally teared up, "I'm not going anywhere, you dumm."

Alfred watched them for a while before leaving, giving the two moments for reconcile before they eventually leave Arthur's flat. One didn't have to be a very old vampire to know that Ludwig and Feliciano would bang each other into oblivion once they reached Ludwig's flat.

Alfred watched them disappeared on the stairs to lower floor and he felt tears on his own eyes.

He was so insanely jealous for the pair.

Because both of them were humans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to slap myself (again).
> 
> Dear Lord, please grant me strength to not turn "Eagle Tea" into some kind of angst fest. Amen.
> 
> (Unless you readers are into that kind of thing. (ノ・ω・)ノ゙)
> 
> A little note on WWII Human GerIta; for those who don't know, Nazi Germany sent army to conquer Russia. But if you've watched Hetalia Season 5, you already knew that Russia has this comrade called General Winter. In short, the mission failed pretty miserably and a lot of German soldiers were trapped there with nothing but agonising winter and despair.
> 
> There's this really good reading called 'Letters from Stalingrad' which contains last letters carried by last German plane out from Stalingrad. The soldiers was told that they would never escape Stalingrad and that the letter they sent would be their last letters. It's amazing what people write knowing that they would never come back. (Spoiler: It's mega-depressing and I'm here for group hug if anyone need any.) You can read them here: <http://www.lifepunch.net/drew/stalingrad/>
> 
> Of course, I'm trying to stick and stay true to history, but too bad I only remember bits I fancy, the ones I considered very important and or heart-touching from it, so... yeah. I deeply apologise.
> 
> Thank you for reading "Eagle Tea"! ヾ(๑ 3ᅀ3)ノ


	10. New York, New York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred and Arthur spent a day in New York before their flight to London.

"Um, Alfred...?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"You didn't exactly tell me that you own a bloody penthouse in New York."

Alfred laughed and ruffled Arthur's hair. Both of them stood in a lift who had stopped moving in front of a large penthouse with a view to Central Park. Arthur didn't even dare to think how much this place would cost. Some of his relatives had castles and some were parts of the royal family, but Alfred's richness came in a way that was a little unexpected. After all, he positively looked younger than Arthur. If cousin Margaret or uncle Phillip had castles, it came from heritage and family. But Alfred was all alone, young enough to be kicked out of a nightclub, and owned a place like _this_.

Arthur knew he couldn't stay in that lift forever so he stepped forward, right after he eyed that the floor had Alfred's name next to it. It was just an 'A. F. Jones', but still.

The living space must had been at least ten times bigger than his flat. It was sparsely furnished in minimalist way. Everything was mostly white and there were little personal touches here and there, like books from different eras on the coffee table or a painting of a girl in blue dress and white corset that reminded Arthur of biblical figure and 1920s.

"Do you like it?" Alfred asked, startling Arthur who just realised he was staring at the painting a little too long without moving.

Arthur looked at Alfred, "It's... very spacious. I assume it doesn't come cheap."

Alfred laughed, "It is not cheap for human standard, but to me, it's like I'm an adult who can buy fifteen boxes of vanilla ice cream while a child can't. I'm at least three times older than your grandfather, Arthur, of course I have accumulated something along my way."

Arthur nodded. Alfred sat on the sofa who faced the big window to the Central Park. Arthur followed him, hesitant once he thought about all the 'living space' Alfred had all over the States. What if every single one was also a penthouse like this?

"The one in Texas is a villa," Alfred reached for Arthur's hips and the Brit yelped.

How could Alfred read his thought? And why were his arms around Arthur's hips now.

"T-that's good to hear..." Arthur mumbled nervously while Alfred hugged him sideways and landed kisses on his cheek and neck.

"Do you want anything for dinner, Arthur?" Alfred whispered between kisses. "We can always go to the restaurant upstairs or just get something to eat and call a Chinese take out."

Arthur blushed and distanced himself from Alfred, "W-well... is there anything you want for dinner?"

Alfred's grin looked chilidsh, "Apart from you, I was thinking of getting McDonalds and just enjoy the view before our flight tomorrow at 5 in the morning."

Arthur didn't know why he didn't see that one coming.

*)*

"Arthur, do you think I deserve happiness?"

"Of course you do, Alfred. Everyone does. Why do you even ask that?"

Arthur never complained about food, so he thoroughly enjoyed his Big Mac, even though he still had to finish it with his favourite cup of tea. Alfred already finished his portion next to him (three big burgers and two large cup of Coke) and lied next to him. The bedroom had view to the Central Park, but at night, Manhattan glowed outside, displaying breathtaking view of metropolitan at night. Arthur's gaze kept return to the beautiful view, but for once, he looked at Alfred who also stared outside just like Arthur a moment ago.

Arthur waited.

Alfred still watched New York at night outside the tall window. "Do you think even the most evil person deserve happiness?"

Arthur coughed, "Well..."

Alfred finally looked at him, eyes half-lidded in a way that made him looked so old even though he was so young. "I'm not an angel, Arthur."

Arthur pouted, "Of course not. You're a vampire. If you think that killing some human for blood is a something that can't be forgiven, I might as well start to take breathing as sin, because it's just the same-"

Alfred shook his head, "I have lived long. I have lived too long. I have done some terrible thing in the past- things I could never washed away, things that would never be washed away by time."

Arthur suddenly felt scared. He was suddenly seven again, sitting on the floor next to his great grandfather who rocked his favourite chair, too old to live but too stubborn to die. Perhaps the stubbornness ran in the Kirkland family. Arthur was busy with his encyclopaedia and he pointed a war plane England used in World War II to his dying grandfather. The man with the silver hair let out a soundless cry. Arthur didn't understand why his great grandfather cried nor he could recall what his father's grandfather said. Not until now.

'Oh dear, dear Arthur... I killed so many people back then. I bombed so many building. I know it's for the best, so that the war could be won and stopped, but... that didn't change the fact that I dirtied my hands with blood.'

Arthur looked at Alfred and felt his lips trembled as he muttered, "Alfred..."

Alfred fished something out of his jeans' pocket and showed Arthur a medallion that was unfamiliar for the Brit. Arthur raised his eyebrows and Alfred chuckled, averting his gaze from Arthur's eyes, "This is what I was awarded with because what I did at the Wounded Knee."

Arthur felt like he was going to be sick. Wounded Knee Massacre happened towards the Native Americans right before the turning of nineteenth century to twentieth. He had to cover his mouth with his palm and Alfred said nothing for what felt like forever.

"I can understand if you want to run away from this room, from that club at that night, from me," Alfred was looking down at the medallion when Arthur finally looked at him again. "I don't deserve any of this. I don't deserve happiness. In other words, I don't deserve you. But I just thought-"

And Arthur hugged Alfred so tightly.

Arthur was scared. So scared. But Alfred must be more scared than him. Arthur knew Alfred used to be a terrible person. But so did his great grandfather. And so did millions others. But one could never erase the past. One could never go back there and undone what had been done.

Alfred inhaled so sharply as he buried his face to Arthur's shoulder and that was when Arthur knew Alfred was sobbing, "I tried to redeem for what I've done. But getting old after two hundred years wasn't easy. You were nowhere to be found as well. I was so upset. Why am I stuck here with nothing but regret and pain? Why couldn't I just be human and get killed in return and then I can be at peace?"

Arthur winced. Alfred hugged him so tightly that Arthur felt like he could burst anytime. But he stroked Alfred's back and the vampire loosen his grip.

"Arthur... I don't deserve you," sobbed Alfred. "I will never do. But I love you. I want to be with you. God-forsaken-damn-it, I want to be with you and I've waited too long to be with you. But I'm an old man with history knee-deep in blood and I can understand if you want to run away from me."

Arthur shook his head, "Alfred, we'll figure this out, okay? Tomorrow, we will go to London and we can figure things out. You might be alone with plenty of your history, but now you have me. You're with me. We can deal with this together. Okay?"

Alfred nodded into his shoulder and sobbed some more.

He only stopped making sound when he finally fell asleep and Arthur gently pulled Alfred away so he could lie down. Then Arthur found that his shirt had been dyed red. 

Alfred's tears were blood.

Arthur didn't know this. He looked at Alfred and wiped the rest of bloody tears from the vampire's face. Then Arthur changed his clothes and lied down next to Alfred.

Alfred was a vampire. Alfred was 250 years old vampire. Of course it was not going to be easy.

But more than anything, Arthur wanted to save him. More than anything, Arthur wanted to love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, yo... sorry for this chapter.
> 
> I promise there will be happier, sillier (and hopefully sexier) moments ahead.


	11. Artie's Type

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter was only one of the few surprises Alfred found in London.

The entire flight would be absolutely horrendous for Alfred if only Arthur wasn't next to him. Air plane did make life easier, but Alfred prefer it if it didn't make him feel like a tuna canned in a tight space with danger like sunlight lurking just outside the window. In the end, they made it to London just fine and Arthur's expression took Alfred's focus for the rest of the journey.

Arthur was restless. He was half-excited, half-annoyed.

But then again, his Arthur was always half-annoyed most of his life. Alfred thought whether it was okay for him to steal a quick kiss to Arthur's cheek after they both loaded their belongings to the black cab outside Heathrow. He decided the kiss could wait. Arthur looked tired, anyway. And it was already late.

To Alfred, witnessing London again was like visiting a very strange museum. Instead of staying old with some new touches, London evolved in a way New York did; not to be a capital of a country, but a capital of the world. He loved London, nevertheless, with its smell of rain and red bricks all over the place. It was Arthur's town, after all. 

Arthur returned to an empty house somewhere in Chelsea and he didn't seem surprised that no one waited to greet him. Arthur had his own key and they both made their way upstairs, to Arthur's old bedroom. The house might looked a little tiny from the outside, but Alfred now understood that the house was long and Arthur's bedroom was more than enough to fit a large, king-sized bed and several other appliances like mahogany closet and large, old table on one side.

Arthur didn't say much until they were both in bed, wrapped in blanket while winter's cold seeped through the closed window.

Alfred felt uneasy. He knew the gist. He was hungry. It was even harder to ignore his hunger since Arthur was right next to him.

It was harder to forget your hunger if you're working in the best restaurant in the world. Of course, Alfred loved Arthur in every way possible, but being a vampire means that he also wanted to drink Arthur's blood, to have Arthur's part inside him, satisfying his hunger. Perhaps this was a way to crave exclusive to the vampires.

Arthur stared at him, eyes half-lidded, and he suddenly inserted his right hand's index finger into Alfred's mouth.

Alfred made confused noise with Arthur's finger inside his mouth.

Arthur grumbled, "Drink. I know the journey made you tired and hungry."

So Alfred bit a Arthur's finger a little and enjoyed the other male's blood very, very slowly.

And Arthur's face as Alfred drank him was absolutely... erotic. He gasped a little, scared but willing, excited but afraid. He looked like he couldn't handle it and there were tears on his green eyes. Alfred smiled, Arthur's finger still inside his mouth. 

The wait for over 200 years totally worth the view; Arthur's tear-streaked, blushing face on bed.

After Alfred finished, Arthur panted and looked at Alfred reluctantly, "Will it hurt when I do it with you?"

"Do what?" Alfred licked his own lip, savouring Arthur's taste on his mouth.

"Coitus," Arthur remarked and Alfred laughed a little. Of course Arthur would never let him forget the moment when Alfred was about to do him in the bath tub.

"Well, it might be," Alfred sighed. "I'm, well, very hard and very strong. Now, you might thing that this is nice quality for a partner, but I really don't want to snap you into two or destroy the wall when we have sex."

Arthur's eyes widened, but he blushed so hard his ears also turned red. "Should I exercise, then, Alfred?"

Alfred smiled into Arthur's lips, "I think that would help."

*)*

"Who are you?"

Alfred woke up when it was still half-dark outside. It was probably six or seven in the morning and to be quite honest, Alfred didn't really sleep at all. He watched Arthur slept next to him and suddenly he felt desire for hamburger. Alfred Jones might be a vampire, but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate the exotic cuisine of USA that is patty between two buns. He wondered whether he would find any Burger King in London- he really had no idea- but he was sure that there would be one or two McDonalds around.

But alas, Alfred found himself at the end of the stairs, stopped by a question from tiny boy with eyebrows as thick as The Doomsday Book.

"Good morning," Alfred replied, out of not really knowing what to answer.

The little boy was probably only as tall as Alfred's waist. His blond was in the same shade as Arthur. Even his pout looked exactly like Arthur's. For a mere second, Alfred thought that Arthur had a child- even though Alfred knew more than well that Arthur was gay his whole life and found woman as interesting as snow for Ivan- until Alfred remembered about Peter Kirkland, one of Arthur's many "annoying" nephew.

"Peter," Alfred added, more like an afterthought.

Peter Kirkland looked up at him, "So I see. You're Artie's boyfriend."

Alfred didn't know whether he should feel proud or concern. "Well, Peter, that... why do you say that?"

Peter made the most innocent smile, "Because you're exactly Artie's type."

Alfred suddenly felt like he didn't have a strength to even go to the front door. How old Peter was again? 

Peter didn't seem to notice Alfred's blush, because the boy continued, "You see, muscular, tall, easy going, big eater, American..."

Alfred liked Peter already. He had no idea why Arthur would find Little Peter as "bloody annoying, especially on Christmas".

*)*

Christmas holiday in London went like a blur for Alfred. It was blurry happiness, fortunately.

All Alfred could see was Arthur and how wonderful he was- everything else was merely background.

The background was pretty great, though. Arthur's family didn't ask twice after Arthur told them that Alfred was allergic to the sun.

Alfred had only seen Mr and Mrs Kirkland on sketch Arthur had back in the 1760s. The sketch was on point, nevertheless, because Mr Kirkland looked exactly like the man on the sketch, only that he wore Argyle sweater instead of wig with powder. Mrs Kirkland hair was far shorter in 2010s, but she had Arthur's eye shapes and smile.

Peter's parents had to attend 'a very important meeting' with 'relatives in mining business' in Australia, so they put Peter on Arthur's parents' house and send their little boy photos of Christmas on white beach and some blurry snaps of kangaroo on the backyard. Peter didn't seem to mind, though he did cry a little when they got to the photo of watching whales in sea. 

Other people who were also missing from the pictures were Arthur's brother. They were in the past too, though the 2010s version of them had less hair on their face and also looked strangely fitting on vest and tie.

Never in Alfred's wildest dream he thought he could sit with Arthur's family, eating scones that really could taste better but delicious in Arthur's tongue anyway. The Christmas dinner was strangely calming, even though Peter was threatening his parents via Facetime that if they didn't get him the ship toy he wanted, he would refuse to be good boy for at least ten days (which was considered as 'two weeks' by Peter's standard).

Alfred went to bed full and happy. Arthur lied next to him not long after and Alfred suddenly realised they didn't exactly sleep together on the same bed until London.

Alfred went to sleep after a very long good night kisses session with Arthur.

*)*

It was probably 2 in the morning when Alfred woke up. Again, he didn't really sleep, but he was sure he could still swim the Channel if he wanted to. He was a vampire after all.

This time, when Alfred went downstairs, he didn't see Peter.

The one who sat on the chair and facing the blazing fireplace was Arthur's mother, Victoria Kirkland.

"Can't you sleep, Dear Alfred?" she said without even turning her head around.

Alfred made chuckling noise and joined the grey-haired lady by the fireplace.

Victoria was drinking tea and Alfred didn't know why he was still surprised. He waited for the moment when the lady next to him would talk about Arthur and him, and, frankly, after living for so long, even 'old' human was rather easy to read.

"How's Arthur?"

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Arthur. In the States. Is he happy? Is he well?"

Alfred looked at the woman who gave birth Arthur Kirkland and trying to understand why she smiled but her eyes were watery. "He... is well, Mrs Kirkland."

Victoria looked at Alfred for the first time since the American arrived in the room, "You can just call me Victoria. Good heavens, we both know that if there's anyone that had to be called with Sir or Madam, that would be you."

Alfred felt like he missed a step on the stairs, but he wasn't completely surprised. Sometimes, there are rare human who could spot him, even through his unnecessary use of words 'freedom' and 'awesome'.

"Don't look so surprised, Mr Jones, I know when it comes to my little Artie," she chuckled and her tears fell. Only when she didn't stop staring at Alfred finally the blue-eyed vampire realised that Victoria Kirkland had read the situation better than Alfred expected. "I'm just so... baffled when I saw you for the first time. I just... I'm sorry..."

Alfred didn't say anything as he offered Victoria tissue.

With fires' light dancing on her green eyes, she took another glance at Alfred. "Was it lonely, Alfred?"

"Very."

"I'm sorry I didn't gave birth to Arthur sooner."

"You know it's not your fault."

Victoria sobbed, "I'm sorry that we are so fragile and die so fast."

Alfred Jones had waited so, so long to hear a human said those words. Of course, there was nothing that could be helped with the fact that human are just so weak and die so easily, but Alfred had dreams where someone would apologise for aging so quickly, for leaving him alone and again-again. 

Alfred just couldn't help but to think that he had special connection with the Kirklands.

"Please don't worry, Victoria," Alfred placed his hand on top of Victoria's hand. "I will take care of Arthur until the day he depart."

Victoria Kirkland's hand was warm- even warmer than the fire in front of Alfred.

The lady then looked at Alfred and Alfred couldn't really tell what she saw Alfred as; like how one would see a statue, a relic from the past, an exhibition on a museum.

But perhaps Alfred was indeed a part too strange to be fitted to anyone's life.


	12. Lights Go Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred took Arthur to a ~romantic~ date. Arthur might or might not like Alfred's idea of 'romantic' date.

"Alfred, we are going to be arrested."

"Yes, Arthur, we will, if you don't stop complaining. Someone can hear your grumbling and come to get us, y'know."

"Have you lost your bloody mind? That's not the point!"

Arthur welcomed any kind and type of unusual since Alfred arrived and stayed in his life, but this wasn't what he signed up for. It was almost twelve in the middle of the night and his face was freezing. It wasn't snowing in London, but Arthur's breath turned into fog in front of him as he shuddered and shuddered.

Alfred woke him up around an hour ago, when Arthur had only slept for an hour since he went to bed at ten. Alfred told Arthur to follow him and he looked more convincing than sad, whining little puppy. Arthur couldn't say no to such face, so he let Alfred dressed him in thick clothes and out to the night (Arthur had only realised that Alfred put two sweaters on him when they were already five minutes away from home, when the cold finally woke him up).

Arthur kept asking where were they going, but Alfred only gave him a very mischievous smile and the next thing Arthur knew, they were climbing Big Ben.

Arthur yelped, protested, and perhaps cried a little, but Alfred held him with one hand and climbing with another while ignoring Arthur almost completely. London didn't exactly sleep, but it did get quiet at the middle of the night. Arthur was freezing and scared. He wanted nothing more than to go home crying. But all his protests stopped when they finally sat on top of Big Ben with London view spread before their eyes.

Whimpering and nose redder than a clown's, Arthur still muttered about getting arrested. Alfred only laughed.

Truth to be told, Arthur had always been dreaming of having London for himself. As absurd as it sounded, he never expected his silly, improbable dream would turn into reality in such way. After spending minutes afraid he was going to fall and die while clinging behind a spidervampire named Alfred, the silence and relief he felt was incredible. 

"Are you cold, Arthur?" Alfred stared at him.

Arthur was not just cold. He was freezing. But then he realised that Alfred sat as far as possible from him without falling. The vampire didn't really have to wear anything, Arthur assumed, for the front of his polo shirt wasn't even buttoned. But the sight of Alfred's pale chest and the absence of blush on his cheeks in such absurd cold once again reminded Arthur that Alfred Jones wasn't another human just like him.

"A little," lied Arthur, but he smiled. Never in his life he thought he would be grateful for being able to feel cold, to have his nose so red from cold.

Alfred returned his smile.

Arthur didn't say anything for a long time, until he mumbled, "Thank you, Alfred."

Alfred chuckled and kissed Arthur's cheek. Arthur looked at Alfred. The vampire's lips felt strangely warm on such a cold weather. Arthur glanced at Alfred's lips and Alfred took the cue. He leaned down further and pressed his lips to Arthur's.

Arthur couldn't believe that he was currently sitting on top of Big Ben in the middle of the night and winter, kissing with a vampire as the clock underneath him rang twelve times.

When Arthur pulled back after the last dong over, he looked at Alfred's face. It was pale and the absence of the blush and also his stupidly amazing pale chest that peek from his shirt was so ridiculous and inhumane. And this vampire had travelled two hundred years just to see him...

"I'm sorry."

"What?" Alfred flinched.

"I'm sorry I didn't get born again as soon as I died. I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner. I'm sorry..."

But Alfred kissed Arthur's forehead and hugged Arthur sideways, "It's not your fault. It never is. It never will."

Arthur looked at Alfred's saddened face and suddenly felt the urge to cry, "Tell me what you want."

Alfred looked a little taken aback, but Arthur didn't stop.

"Tell me what you want to do with me, Alfred," Arthur sniffled.

Alfred blinked several times, like he just processed what Arthur just said. His blue eyes stopped looking so startled and he stared at Arthur through his half-lidded eyes. "Okay, Arthur."

"Tell me what you want," Arthur blinked his tears away to see Alfred's face.

Alfred suddenly stood. He then knelt in front of Arthur, all movements perfectly like they weren't on top of bloody Big Ben, and pulled out suspicious tiny black box.

"Dear Lord, Alfred, it couldn't be..." Arthur's words were drying on his tongue.

Alfred smiled from ear to ear, "Arthur Ignatius Kirkland, would you marry me?"

If there was a cue for Arthur to cry like a baby, that was it. He shuddered and sobbed grossly, but he nodded and managed to speak through his hoarse voice, "Yes. Yes, I would, you ungrateful yank."

Alfred looked way too happy for someone who was just called 'ungrateful yank'.

Arthur would remember the kiss after as the one that tasted like salty tears, winter, and Coke. Alfred then put the ring into Arthur's finger and it was a perfect fit.

Looking at the ring, Arthur noticed that the ring wasn't exactly what he would call the usual engagement ring. It looked a little dented and rather unprofessionally made, but one would never realised it unless one looked very, very closely.

Alfred seemed to be able to read his mind again, because he chuckled and pointed, "I, uh, made it myself in 1807. I'm surprised it fits you! I was totally inexperienced and-"

Arthur hugged Alfred so sudden and tight that they almost fell from Big Ben.

*)*

In the morning of the last Sunday of that year, Arthur woke up first to snoring vampire next to him. After watching Alfred sleeping face (he was drooling all over the place again so Arthur wiped it for him), Arthur lied back and observed the dented ring on his finger.

He slowly lowered his hand to his face and kissed the ring.

Arthur was engaged to Alfred.

Arthur Kirkland was to marry Alfred Jones.

The Kirkland household was woken up by a very uncivil "Fuck yeaaah" scream that morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see that coming?
> 
> I hope not, because neither did I. ( ́・(ェ)・`)
> 
> (No, really, I just sit and write. I have no plan or plot for "Eagle Tea" except on the very ending.)
> 
> Thank you for reading.


	13. Behind the Unlocked Door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur finally understood the gravity of husband-ing Alfred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexy times ahead.

"Arthur, have you ever go to a wedding held at night?"

"No, why? It's not like- oh..."

Arthur decided that they would spend new year in States, so they were packing up as they chatted. Victoria cried just like Arthur when Alfred announced their engagement while Arthur's father made a very sharp remark on Alfred but ending it with 'so you better take a very good care of my son'. Peter requested to be invited to their wedding and also asked whether it was okay to ask people who were to marry of gift of a grand ship. 

Now that Arthur was engaged, he forgot to think about how he would actually marry Alfred. He knew that they would marry in States instead of here, for the majority of their friends were there anyway, but he hadn't think about the technical stuff. They couldn't marry in the morning or afternoon. Hell, not even evening. It had to be at night. Also, Arthur wondered whether Alfred had birth certificate or something that would be needed to register their names. But Alfred did have a passport, so Arthur believed it was already taken care of.

But once Arthur thought about it, marriage party art night would be wonderful. He would decorated rose garden with little lamps and it would be fantastic. But then again, Arthur wouldn't mind marrying Alfred in the most ridiculous setting like half-time in Super Bowl (God, he hoped he got the culture right), as long as he got married to Alfred in the end.

"Well, we'll think about it later," Alfred shrugged started to put another shirt into his bag. "By the way, Arthur, do you know that Ivan tried to tell people other than your friends that I am vampire once?"

"What?" Arthur turned his head so fast he was surprised he didn't break his neck.

"Yeah, he totally did. Freaky Ivan. I never knew what was he thinking and I'm 200 years old. Anyway, he told me he had tried to tell the cleaning service of your apartment, some people in college, and also the Russian lady on where he did his laundry. But no one believed him," Alfred ended his story with laughter.

Arthur thought he was going to faint. "That bastard Ivan... I'll wrangle the stupid git's neck next time using his bloody scarf."

Alfred was still laughing, "Hey, don't worry, I can handle it. I've learned stuffs, you know. Why do you think you've never heard the existence of vampire your whole life?"

Arthur pouted, "When did this happen?"

"A couple of weeks before we went here."

Arthur still pouted, "Why didn't you tell me about it?"

Alfred smiled apologetically, "I don't want to make you worry, Arthur."

Arthur sighed, "Then why are you telling me this now, Alfred?" Arthur was ready to grumble and protest, but Alfred's answer silenced him.

"Because I'm going to marry you and you will be my husband."

Arthur just realised, again, that he was going to get married. And it feels better every single time.

"Right? So I gotta share this kind of thing with you, though I know you might be worried."

Arthur nodded and he stepped away to check the cupboard but stopped as he did one step.

"Arthur?" Alfred looked concerned because Arthur suddenly froze.

Then Alfred's eyes followed Arthur's to a certain bulge on Arthur's pants.

*)*

Alfred couldn't believe it. Arthur got hard on nice, touching attitude, like the gentleman he was. Alfred wanted to laugh because it was so Arthur and so hot and just so... Arthur.

Arthur blushed furiously Alfred thought someone was boiling him, but Alfred wasn't going to hold back now. Not when he could give Arthur the pleasure he deserved.

"Alfred, our plane leave in five hours."

"So? It's not like jacking you off would take four hours alone."

"Alfred!" Arthur groaned.

"What? I'm going to husband you soon. Better get used to me jacking you off."

"ALFRED!" Arthur groaned louder.

But Alfred listened to no one and pushed Arthur to bed. After he undid his own shirt, Alfred crawled on Arthur who looked absolutely embarrassed yet just as horny, judging from how hard he was.

Arthur trembled, "T-there's Peter in the house. Have you lock the door? Do you think they will hear us? This house is pretty old, you know."

Alfred just shrugged, "I'm not sure whether I've locked the door. I mean, we don't have to, like, lock anything when we're just packing our stuff."

Arthur whimpered, "Alfred, p-please lock the door. You don't want Peter suddenly barge in and all, do you? M-my parents might also stepped in--ahhh!" 

Arthur moaned by the slight touch Alfred's fingers against his pants and the Englishman looked absolutely furious.

"W-what do you think you were doing, you git? Lock the door! I don't--nh-aaahhh!" Arthur moaned again and Alfred was more turned on than ever.

Teasing Arthur was something he waited way too long. Alfred was sure that at this point he could make Arthur come by just rubbing him through the sheet. But he wanted more. And he knew Arthur deserved more.

So Alfred moved his hands from Arthur's hips to his belt, unbuckling it as fast as he could before pulling Arthur's pants down to Arthur's embarrassed yelps.

"Alfred, no... don't look..." Arthur shook his head, but he glanced multiple times to Alfred's crotch. Alfred really knew Arthur too well. Of course Arthur wanted this. He was just being... Arthur. Alfred guessed it would take several love-making session before Arthur would be brave enough to say something dirty or even slightly agreeing to what Alfred did to him.

Alfred pulled Arthur's boxer down and Arthur whimpered because of the sudden temperature change of his crotch. Alfred looked at Arthur naked lower part of body and it suddenly struck him. He never saw the previous Arthur's private part. Of course, there was time when eighteenth century Arthur bathed him, but Alfred was way too small to remember anything. With another bundle of sadness inside him, Alfred leaned down and kissed Arthur's lips.

The front of their hips rubbed against each other and Arthur whined again against Alfred's kisses, "Alfred! The door... please..."

Alfred sucked Arthur's lower lip before finally pulling back and left to lock the door. Pulling away from Arthur's warmth was so hard, but it was so worth it for Alfred got to see half-naked Arthur on bed, flushed and hard.

Alfred went straight to kiss Arthur's chest and played around with suckle and lick before making his way down towards Arthur throbbing erection. Alfred couldn't stop thinking how cute Arthur was and how badly he wanted to fuck Arthur raw right at this moment, but he didn't really want to broke any human body, especially not the one that he was going to marry, so Alfred settled with his hands on Arthur's hips and Arthur's cock inside his mouth.

Arthur struggled and moaned- and Alfred couldn't even be more turned on.

He only did some simple stuffs; some strokes on his hip bones, fondling the balls, several long sucks, and Arthur came in no time. His hips bucked as he came and Alfred drank everything to Arthur's embarrassment.

"Don't swallow it, it's gross!" Arthur whimpered, still high from his orgasm.

Alfred licked the last drop of Arthur's come on his chin, "What was that?"

"Alfred!" Arthur pouted. "You don't have to drink it if you don't want to. We're not doing any porn here."

Alfred laughed, "You know, Arthur, I'm someone who drink your blood, you know."

Arthur opened his mouth to another reply, but a series of knock on the door silenced both of them.

*)*

"Artie? Artie? Aaaartieee!"

With Peter knocked on the door, Arthur was more than panic when he tried to find his pants and belt. Alfred helped him and the git looked so pleased. Arthur glanced at Alfred's lips and he couldn't think that those lips were just around his erection and the same mouth had swallowed his come...

"Aaaartiiieee!"

Groaning, Arthur put one leg to his pant, "Just a moment, Peter!"

Alfred handed Arthur the belt, smirking as he did.

Arthur wanted to smack everyone; Alfred for giving him blow job and Peter for suddenly appearing.

It was fair to say that there was no written experience on getting sucked by a vampire not for blood and Arthur knew he could get hard again just by thinking of it. Again, he just realised the gravity of Alfred's vampire body when Alfred sucked so slowly yet it felt so hard and intense on Arthur's side. Alfred might thought he licked Arthur lightly, but Arthur felt like he got massaged by strangely strong tongue of a vampire. Not to mention, when Alfred's fang brushed his cock, Arthur had never been more aroused even though he was so scared he could piss his pants.

Struggling with dressing his legs, Arthur thought that he probably knew what a house-cat feels like when one was about to be fucked by a tiger. Arthur was a human and Alfred was a vampire. Trembled by the realisation that Alfred had been extra careful when he touched Arthur or just acting human in general, Arthur could only wish that thing won't go to South like Alfred accidentally suck blood from his cock or something.

Arthur finally finished putting his belt and he opened the door to pouting Peter.

"What is it, Peter?" Arthur looked down to his niece.

Peter sighed, "I want you to read this encyclopaedia on battleship before you leave. Have you done your packing? Oh good, you did." The little boy moved his head to take a peek on Arthur and Alfred's room. His thick brows suddenly furrowed. "Arthur?"

"Yes, Peter?" 

"Would you mind telling me whether I disturb your... time with Alfred?"

Arthur raised his eyebrows, "My time? No. Not at all. I mean, I'm still gonna see him after I went back to States. Well, to be fair, I'm marrying him so..." Arthur couldn't finish because he blushed so much.

Peter nodded, "I know. What I was trying to say is that you two seems to be in the middle of something."

Arthur could hear Alfred tried to not laugh behind him.

Peter looked at Arthur, "Were you two making baby when I knock?"

Arthur suddenly laughed a very unlike Arthur laugh, "Good Lord, Peter, wherever you heard all those terms? Anyway, I better read you your battleship book. Let's go downstairs, Peter. Come now, I don't have much time. I have to go to the airport soon. Why didn't you try to ask Mum or Dad? Oh right, they left this morning for some business..."

Alfred muffled laughter made Arthur wanted to stick his head to nearest hole.

Now that Peter mentioned it, actually Arthur would love to make some babies with Alfred.


	14. Jumped from Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Alfred returned to States and getting ready for their wedding.

" _Mon Dieu_ , Arthur, one would never thought that one went home for Christmas and returned with a ring on one's finger!"

"Silence, Francis. Alfred asked me. What else am I supposed to do?"

Francis got Gilbert and Antonio to sit with Arthur and Alfred on dining table at his flat that night. He cooked a lot of food, most of it was so complicately named that there was no way Arthur could pronounce it, but all of them was so perfectly delicious that Arthur wanted to slap himself. (Also Francis, but Arthur always wanted to slap Francis.)

For someone so old and also a vampire, one would thought that Alfred Jones would be graceful. But he wolfed down Francis' cooking in one go and kept glancing at Arthur multiple times, like he was a Christmas present too good to be true to be his. But Arthur was there, blushing at Alfred's innocent gesture.

As much as Arthur loved his family, he was glad to return to States, to his flat, to be with Alfred on his spare time.

After dinner, Gilbert went to watch war movie with Ludwig. Antonio joined them because Lovino was with Feliciano, spending weekend on Southern Italy. Alfred wanted to help Francis and Arthur with cleaning up, but Arthur saw the gleam on Alfred's eyes when Gilbert pronounced "war hero" as he talked about what the movie was about. So Arthur sent Alfred to watch the movie and helped Francis scrubbing large pot he used to make some kind of beef stew.

They worked in silence, with only sound came from water and sponge against metal. Arthur wondered whether Alfred was having fun, because Alfred had always been stuck with Arthur who enjoyed British TV drama more than anything and there was never enough action for Alfred on those dramas. Alfred said he was happy to see Arthur's people on the screen, but Arthur wanted Alfred to be even happier.

"Arthur?" Francis put the last plate to be wiped dry by Arthur.

Blinking, Arthur looked at his French friend, "Yeah?"

"You okay?" Francis helped Arthur with the last plate and Arthur nodded slowly.

"Yes. Sorry. I was just-" _Thinking about Alfred._

But Arthur didn't need to say that, because Francis smiled and took off the apron before sitting on the dining table, taking with him a bottle of cognac.

"Oh no, Francis, you know I don't drink..." Arthur shook his head.

Francis raised his eyebrows and didn't listened to Arthur. He grabbed two small glass and poured a little cognac on each one. "Come on, Art. Just one glass. I want to congratulate you for your engagement."

Arthur couldn't say no to that, so he sat and they made 'clink' sound with their glass.

"To Arthur's engagement," Francis blinked naughtily to Arthur, who just chuckled before nodding and gulped his portion of cognac.

Of course, the cognac tasted amazing. Arthur wondered whether that was how his blood tasted for Alfred; intoxicating and addicting.

Francis played with empty glass on his hand and chuckled, "I never see this coming, you know. I thought you'd be the last who get married from any of us. But Alfred came and everything changed so very quickly. And, Arthur, you've never seem happier. So I'm happy for you. I'm really happy for you."

For the first time since Arthur knew Francis, he smiled towards his long-haired friend.

*)*

Their first night back in Arthur's flat, Alfred finally slept on Arthur's bed instead of the couch.

Arthur's bedroom in this country looked very different with the one he had back on his country. But little bits of it was still the same; the way it smelled, how it had more than one L-shaped pillow, and how Arthur arranged the bed every morning.

Alfred was more than thrilled to get invited to Arthur's most personal space and he had never been happier in the past 250 years. He got engaged to Arthur. He got engaged to Arthur freaking Kirkland and Alfred was going to marry him. 

Alfred wondered whether it was okay for Arthur if he invited Yao. Yao would definitely love to come.

*)*

It was another night after dinner, where Alfred cooked rather decent burger. Arthur sat on the sofa and Alfred joined and soon they talked about what kind of impossible thing they would love to do.

Arthur would love to open a cafe with good tea and cute pastries.

Alfred remark was, "Ooooh, maybe drop the pastries."

Arthur pinched Alfred's cheek, "Shut it, you git. The rule is whatever impossible, right?"

Alfred nodded, "Mine would be... going to college with you."

Arthur's smile evaporated. 

It was such a simple thing; going out to the day, going to college, studying in the library... but to Alfred, such things are simply impossible.

Arthur hugged Alfred and buried his face on the other's chest.

Alfred patted Arthur's back and chuckled, "It's okay. It's really okay. I mean, I'm already engaged to you. There's nothing better I could ask for... except maybe actually marrying you. Speaking of which, do you think we should do spring wedding?"

Arthur pulled back, pouted to Alfred's face, only to have him kissed the Englishman on the lips.

Really, was it possible for such grumpy man like Arthur to be _this_ happy?

*)*

Arthur never really paid attention to weather. When it's getting cold, he took out his sweater collection that Francis frowned upon. When it's getting hot, he started to pick shirt with shorter arms and lighter material. But spring that year was different. Cold slowly seeped out from the trees outside- the same tree Arthur had seen for years.

He didn't know whether being with Alfred made him somehow melancholy. Alfred's existence itself was very much melancholic. What could be more melancholic than waiting 200 years for someone you love? But as Arthur gave this more thought, he knew that he was simply in love. Love truly was a great experience for him. Never in his life he thought he could love someone to the point that his whole body ached.

It wasn't exactly the most comfortable experience. 

If Alfred wasn't around, Arthur turned blue really quickly and he couldn't wait to run home to his beloved vampire fiancé. When Alfred was restless, Arthur wished he could transfer all of Alfred's discomfort to him. He couldn't wait to get married to Alfred- though that itself might have to wait a little longer.

Arthur didn't really pay attention to how long people wait until they get married after their engagement. Hell, he didn't even pay any attention to any couple at all. His former plan was to live alone and pretty much dying alone. Then Alfred hopped in uninvited and Arthur was never been happier. When Arthur asked this to Alfred, Alfred gave answer only someone like him could give.

"Well, I've done my 200 years waiting. I can wait a year or ten," he shrugged.

Arthur pouted and hugged Alfred so hard in attempt to break one or two bones, but Alfred only laughed and pat him in the back. "In ten years, I'll be thirty and not as young as now," he grumbled.

Alfred was still chuckling, "I know, Dear. I know."

Arthur always felt like a strange wave of warmth passed through him whenever Alfred used endearment term against him, "I don't want to leave you alone."

Alfred was much happier than Arthur expected when he said that. "I know you don't, Arthur."

So Arthur pulled back, because Alfred didn't get it, "I mean, can I be like you?"

Alfred's expression turned sour very fast.

"You're... eternal. You're always this young and strong and..." Arthur bit his lip. "I know I sound like a jerk, since you already told me what a damnation being alive forever is, but... I don't know."

Alfred looked like he was about the punch Arthur in the face, but instead his blue eyes got watery. "You want to be with me _that_ bad?"

Arthur nodded and pouted.

Alfred pulled Arthur into his hug and laughed. Arthur heard his sobs as well, so Alfred might had been crying while laughing at the same time. Arthur closed his eyes. He loved this person so much, even though Alfred wasn't a person at all. 

Alfred found his voice again after sometime, "Arthur, you are the greatest person I know for the past 200 years."

Arthur, who didn't know what to say, replied with, "Thank you."

Alfred looked at him through his flooding tears, "That's why you must never become like me. It's a torture. It's too late for me- but it's not for you. You must be happy."

When Arthur realised it, he was crying through Alfred's another 'you _must_ be happy'.

It was two months before their wedding and Arthur wept like a baby.

Wrapped around Alfred's large, protective arms, they felt as cold as Arthur could remember. He closed his eyes, letting his tears fell to his cheeks- his warm tears to his warm, blushing cheeks. Alfred had always felt so cold because dead body had no heat, but Arthur could swear that there was nothing warmer, or even hotter at this point, than Alfred's raging affection towards him. Arthur was too lucky. Way too lucky. The Englishman tightened his hug around Alfred's neck and sobbed, finally understanding why Antonio spent years being verbally harassed by Lovino, why Ludwig would look for Feliciano every single time they fought, and why even someone so annoying like Francis could be even more annoying when it comes to love.

At the beginning of his twenty, Arthur Kirkland learnt that love is a perfect mix of happiness, sadness, and fear.

But, Lord have mercy on him, Arthur never felt better in his life.


End file.
